Closer
by Little-Inkstone
Summary: Belle attempts to save Rumpelstiltskin from the Wicked Witch with the help of Regina and Hook. This is based on a theory from tumblr, contains mild spoilers and will most likely soon be AU.


The plan had been put together quickly, and was simple enough but required perfect timing, and no small amount of luck to be successful.

Hidden in the dark, on the edge of the Wicked Witch's property, Belle waited for her true love to pass by. So far his movements had been like clockwork, patrolling the grounds for the evening before Zelena would either send him back to the storm cellar, or call him into the house for further instructions.

To her left Regina and Hook also waited, the last two people she would trust, or choose to be alone with, but she needed them for this to work. Regina had the ability to wield the fairy dust required to stun Rumple, and also disguise Hook to take his place. The pirate's lips having been cursed by Zelena herself to take away anyone's magical powers.

Although Belle wasn't sure why the witch would do such a thing; any attempts to get Hook to reveal her motives were deflected with flirtation or a sneer, depending on who the asker was. She didn't really care. The point was, they had been presented with an opportunity to free her love, and that was all that mattered.

"Now!" Regina hissed softly, drawing Belle out of her thoughts.

Belle raced forward, her contribution to the plan arguably one of the most dangerous parts; distracting Rumple to allow the freezing spell to be applied. Hazardous, only for the fact that they didn't know what he had been ordered to do to trespassers.

She kept running, even as she heard her true love call her name in shock, only stopping when he transported himself in front of her. Gently, but firmly, he took hold of her arms to keep her from moving.

"Belle! Belle, what are you doing here?" He questioned; a shrill note of panic in his voice.

"Rescuing you." She replied breathlessly.

"Sweetheart−" Rumple began sadly, before Regina hit him in the back with the stunning spell. Despite the rest of him being frozen, his eyes, expressive as ever, were able to communicate his shock and confusion at the sudden turn of events.

"It's for the best, Rumple, I promise." Belle whispered, smiling as reassuringly as possible, her hand coming up to cup his cheek.

She hardly noticed as Regina and a newly disguised Hook ran past them toward the farmhouse.

The doubt and anxiety in his eyes were clear, causing Belle to wrap her arms around him tightly burrowing her face against his chest, in both an attempt to sooth and hide the traitorous trembling of her lower lip. He couldn't return her embrace, but it didn't really matter, not when she was finally holding him again, not when soon he would be free and they could be together. Two things she had never believed would be possible again.

"I've missed you so much." She murmured. "I can't remember the last year, but I _know_ I would have spent it thinking of you."

"Oh, how very sweet." An overly saccharine voice replied. Startled, Belle looked up, dread causing her heart to sink. "Now if you would be so kind, unhand_ my _Rumple!"

With a wave of her hand the witch sent Belle flying, causing the beauty to land roughly a few feet away from her still frozen true love.

Scrambling to right herself, Belle eyed Zelena with both fear and hatred. "How−how did you…?"

"Oh, _please_! Did you really think that pirate could fool me for a second? Did you really think I wouldn't see right through my own sister's magic?" Zelena mocked. "And now they've left you to face me all alone." She hummed happily. "Not very nice of them, to flee without you, if you ask me."

Tilting her chin up defiantly, Belle bravely stared the witch down; choosing to remain silent, so as not to further antagonize the already unpredictable individual before her.

Subtly, she began evaluating her options for escape.

"What? No heroic speeches about love conquering all? Well, I guess it's for the best, you and I both know it's futile. Nothing you do matters, because soon, none of this will have ever come to pass!" She bragged. Her meaning was lost on Belle, but she filed it away for later to look into, _if_ she managed to get away.

"But now that I have you here, the question is, what should I do with you?" Zelena wonder aloud to herself, tapping the Dark One's dagger against her chin. "The possibilities are truly endless!" She said cheerfully, with a bright smile. "What do you think?" She asked the still frozen Rumple.

Silence greeted her question, and she glowered in displeasure. As she turned her full attention to undoing the charm Regina had placed upon him, Belle began slowly edging away. When she was almost at the treeline, she broke into a run, crashing through the woods in the dark, getting lost a few times, all the while fearing that she was being followed.

Finally she was able to make it back to town.

Quickly she found Emma and her parents, explaining how the plan had failed. They didn't take it well, inquiries after her wellbeing overshadowed by the grim looks shared between them. Despite Snow's insistence that she stay with them for the night, just in case Zelena came after her, Belle left, wanting to be alone.

Exhausted, physically and emotionally, she stumbled back to the library for the first time since they had all returned to Storybrooke. At the moment unable to face the home she had once shared with her love.

Most days the sight of his treasures were a comfort to her, a tangible connection to him even when he was lost. But after the night she had just suffered, one look at the many artifacts and knickknacks would only cause the ache in her heart to worsen.

In the morning there would be important things she would need to do, unravelling Zelena's plan for one, along with confronting Regina on why she had left her behind. But at the moment her mind was in a haze. She needed to sleep first and foremost.

Luckily it was if the curse had never been undone, all of the furnishings and clothes she had left there untouched, as if she had simply stepped out, not even a coat of dust gave away the apartments disuse.

Unceremoniously flopping down on the bed, the events of the evening finally caught up with her. Curling up in a tight ball, the tears she'd been holding back began to fall freely, her body wracked by weak tremors as Belle sobbed.


End file.
